All the Devils I Have Known
by KPOBb 3A KPOBb
Summary: Putting all emotions aside and adopting some of his more infamously known qualities. She searches for him in order to learn his secrets and bridge the gap. Will it be a reunion of reconciliation or a rendevous for revenge?
1. Something Likened Goodbye

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Pitch Black. Nor do I own the lyrics, which are owned by Jessicka Foddera, of JOJ. The song is "Rabiteen" by Jack Off Jill. Sorry for the swearing...I'm just trying to get the anger precise. Anyway, if you want me to edit it...just ask. (Promise I won't swear at you...tee hee.)

_He said that he would stay forever._

_Forever wasn't very long._

_He said that he would take the high road._

_He thought that I was always wrong._

He told me that when I became old enough that maybe we'd meet again. _Some way, some how,_ he voice echoed in my head as I laid on my bed. _The bastard,_ I thought staring at the ceiling. Hot tears streaming down my face, as a that lump in my throat began to manifest. He said that he'd stay for as long as I needed him. But that promise didn't seem to hold, he left a few weeks of making the promise. Laying there I remembered the scene a few days earlier. On the night of his egression, he left without much; without tears; without me..._the bastard,_ I thought looking back at it. At the time I didn't know he was leaving until the night he left. I was going to his room to see what he was doing tonight. Leaning on the doorframe as I entered, I had found Imam and him having a conversation. Noticing that my presencestifledthe Istopped, _fuck, _I thought as I swallowed preparing for the worst. Their guilty faces turning to me in suprise.

"Well, well. Speak of the devil." Riddick snorted sarcastically.

"Yeah, yeah. Nice to see you too, Dick." I joked back trying to hide my apprehension with humor.

"Jack! please. No profanity." Imam injected. Seeing his anger made me smile on the inside.

"Sorry. But what thehell was I supposed to say?"

"Kid. Listen to Imam..." Riddick finally added with his scolding voice and stern face.

"Cheap shot..."

I muttered to myself, Riddick knew I'd always listen to him. Whether he was wrong or right I'd always listen and he knew it. Walking away from us he grabbed some clothes of his dresser and put them into a duffle bag. _What?_ Concentrating on gathering his things he barely made I contact. _He can't be...seriously...going? _I began to think the worst. I looked to see if he was grabbing his star maps, of course he did. I knewthe verdict already:he was leaving, and this time he might not return in while or ever for that matter. I could feel tears creeping from behind my eyes. Imam and him remained silent the whole time. My vulnerable eyes, stared at the floor filled with disappointment and hurt. Finally, he met my eyes with the same stoic look on his face, and his eyes like mirrors. Like always he could see right through me, and he was prepared to put up a fight.

"Look kid. It's been good while it lasted. But now ain't the time." he kept calling me kid as always; I began to stare daggers at him. _The bastard..._

"So you're gonna stay with Imam, and I have to leave. So be good for him."

"Well...where the fuck to then?" I said trying to keep up my boyish facade.

"Sorry. For your sake, and his, as well mine...I can't tell you that information."

"Why the fuck not?!"

I could feel my heart sink. Nodding to Imam, he signaled for some time alone to talk with me. _Coward, why can't you say it in front of Imam?!_my mind yelled. Imam walked out shutting the door on the way out.

"HEY!!... KID!! Cut the shit already....This ain't about what you want, or what I want; this is about survival. In case you haven't learned shit from the HG crash, I'm going to paraphrase it for you. It's like this kid: survival is priority number one onmost people's list. So, I suggest you get with the fucking program."

"Oh yeah?! Why don't you get with the fucking program?! "

"You got a good future ahead of you. You got a lot going for you, and you're a smart kid. Plus, you'll slow me down. Point is you got a second chance at life. I suggest you use it wisely. Don't fuck it up like I did...I mean what more can you want?Shit, Jack...." he sighed continuing to pack his stuff.

"For you to stay...for you to stop calling me kid....for you to take me with you..." My eyes welled in tears but I tried hard to suppress them. _Fucking stoic....bastard._

"Sorry, Jackie girl that ain't gonna work on my kind...." Saying sarcastically and showing no remorse. Lifting my head I managed to look in his eyes.

"Oh yeah?!...fuck your kind! Heartless bastard." he didn't react. _Not that he felt in the first place._

"It's only fair, Jackie. I saved your life; so save mine."

I looked at him with all the hurt, hatred, and resentment I had. I guess I was wrong all along. Surprise, surprise....But deep inside somehow I knew; I knew he'd never stay forever.

_Cause when he lied it meant he loved me._

_And when he lied it meant he cared._

_And when he lied it meant he loved me._

_And when he lied it meant that he was there._

Shortly after my outburst I stormed out of his room and into mine. Laying on my bed, I buried my face in my pillow. Thoughts beginning to pick and ravage my mind. _Is this what he meant when he said he'd stay? Is this what he meant w__hen h__e said __he cared? _I couldn't believe I was stupid enough to rely on a convict's words. When he had saved me I had believed it, but I was naive then. I was thirteen and scared and lonely. Inside I began to scorn myself; hate myself; hate him; all that was him. Getting off my bed, now ripping all my things off the wall. Grabbing all of what he gave me. A shiv, goggles, star maps, etc...I wanted to burn them so bad, but I wouldn't; I couldn't. They were soon to be the only things I would have of him...the sadist, the con, the hero...the liar.

Hearing a knock on the door, I quickly dried my eyes. Although I didn't give a shit, I didn't want him to see me like this. He was the one who taught me it was shameful to cry, especially in front of others. _You must never let them see your vulnerability_...his voice rang in my head. _Even if you have to hurt them first, you must never let them see your hurt_...his voice echoing again. The knock grew louder, as I went sat up on my bed.

"Come in..." I said weakly.

"Look kid, I'm not exactly good at this kid of shit..."

"Wow. Riddick not good at something...who'd a thought." replying indifferently before he could finish.

"Look Jack, don't make this harder than it already is..." I scoffed and he just gave this look like: _What's so funny?_ but without the humor in it.

"Hard? What's so hard about it? You're the one walking out. You've got the easy way out." he didn't react as usual, and once again I scoffed at it.

"Look. I'm leaving pretty soon. The last thing I want to do is leave on bad terms...so at least make and effort. It's only fair."

"Okay," I managed a fake smile. "Congradulations, on your second chance. Here's to you, and to your survival. Good luck." I said sarcastically with my plastic smile.

"Alright then, that's a good girl. See wasn't so hard was it?" he said carressing my cheek and messing my short hair.

"Now, before the shit hits the fan...I have to go." he said picking up his bag.

"Yeah, not so bad." I said apathetically, tears welling in my eyes. He began to walk out the door.

"Hey, don't forgot your shiv..." I said and he looked at me confused.

"Okay, where?"

"In my heart." The tears begin to stream down my face.

_He said that he would go his own way._

_Wrapped up my leg and down my spine._

_He said that he would be the fairest,_

_dressed in blood and terpentine._

He closed the door on his way out and shut off the light. Leaving me cold and alone in the dark. Feeling him tug at the heartstrings as a manifestation of vermillion flowed from my gaping spine. When I cried myself to sleep I dreamt of different ways of decadence, and most of all revenge.

FIN


	2. Burning Hatred Will Light My Way

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Pitch Black. Nor do I own the lyrics, those of which belong to Jessicka Foddera of JOJ. The song is "Rabiteen" by Jack Off Jill.

After about a year of hoping and waiting, I had abandoned all hope. Since then I would normally push his memory aside and since then we had made no contact what so ever. He had put me through isolation, loss, and abandonment, and my hatred for him began to grow on the inside. After his departure, sometimes I'd try to ask Imam where he thought Riddick was, but he would always reply the same way. _'His heart is with Allah...so we should hope.'_ he would say at dinner. He said that he had his life and we had ours, and then he would end the conversation at that.

After awhile Imam met a woman and they had a child; He married a beautiful African woman living on Helion Prime. She was also a Chrislam, and she was beautifully named Laijun. Together they had started a life together but somehow, they never left me out of it. In about a year they had a pretty little girl named Ziza; Every time I looked at her, I felt empty...she had reminded me of myself...and it had saddened me. Laijun was very kind to me also, but something was always missing. They had treated me like family, but when I looked in their eyes they shared the same void as mine did.Laijun was very kind to me, and reminded me of my mother; whom I thought I had forgotten. She had helped me reconcile my long forgotten past, and battle some of it's demons. Imam told her everything: about Riddick, me, and the HG. He also told her where Riddick was and what he was. Surprisingly, I heard none of this from Imam himself. For weeks I tried to get her to spill the beans without her realizing it. I had asked her what Imam told her about me, and what they talked about, trying not to make it obvious that it was because of Riddick. She told me she had promised Imam that she would never tell me. Walking away disappointed and resentful, I said,

"_Imam. He has lots of secrets that he doesn't tell me, you know that...but I now a lot more things he doesn't tell you."_ Harsh, I know; but sometimes you have to be mean to get what you want. And what I wanted was the truth.

_He said that he would tell no secrets._

_He said that he would never lie._

_He said that he would spring eternal._

_He said that we would never die._

_Cause when he lied it meant he loved me._

_And when he lied it meant he cared._

_And when he lied it meant he loved._

_And when he lied it meant that he was,_

_he was, he was there._

Once night when Imam was in the mosque, after tucking in his daughter and bid farewell to his wife. She came to me dragged me into the living room, and placed me next to a locked armory. It was bought right around the time when Imam and her married. She opened it and handed me a huge box and said that everything I wanted to know was in it. After an hour of looking through it, she came to my room. She sat next to me on my bed and said she had done it because _'she liked me, and not because she feared me.'_ and because my eighteenth was coming up. She had told me he kept it for my own good, but all I could feel was sadness and hatred. _I thought he would keep no secrets, and never lie... _That night I decided that the life I had with Imam could never be; a thing of the past. _I'd sooner live with a con, than a hypocrite_, I thought. She had been sitting next do me while I pondered. Getting off the bed and heading to the door, she left me with parting words._"Someday when you find the strength and right mind, my Jackie, then you may know what you truly want. But until now you must focus on you, and only you....You are one of one. Never forget that."_

I never did; I still remember what she had told me that night. At the time I didn't understand, after having thought about it and looked through the box, I did. A few days after graduation, it would be my birthday again. When that fateful night came around I wrote a note addressed to Imam and my new mom that I was fine and would be back someday. Never said where I was going I packed my things and headed to out. Climbing out my window and jump into the street I had started my search. The night was pitch black, just like the death planet from long ago. The puddles reflected like mirrors; reminding me of him again. Getting on the metro, the chrono hit 2400 hours, and marked another year of my life; I was an adult now, and free to leave. I haven't returned since; I was eighteen.

_I'm never going back I don't care what you said._

_I wish you could see the hate in my head._

_I'm never going back I don't care what you said._

_I wish you could see the hate in my head._

_Cause when he lied it meant he loved me._

_And when he lied it meant he cared._

_And when he lied it meant he loved._

_And when he lied it meant that he was,_

_he was, he was there._

FIN


	3. Wide Awake And Dreaming

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters of Pitch Black. Nor do I own the lyrics to the song "Do You Love Me?", those of which are owned by Nick Cave.

Notes: This chapter is now in Riddick's situation. And the lyrics are somewhat incomplete and out of order, if you listen to the song the you'd know. I've never heard the Nick Cave's version (which is the original), I've only heard the remake by My Ruin.

**Riddick's POV**

So here I am. The infamous Richard B. Riddick; escaped convict, murderer, lone outlaw. So here I am sitting, and wallowing—something that I hadn't done since the Wailing Wars. But once again something had brought me here, a force strong enough to make me drop the bullshit and just contemplate. What force would that be? I couldn't even admit it myself, but every so often I caught myself thinking, of her.

**  
_I found her on a night of fire and noise  
Wild bells rang in a wild sky  
I knew from that moment on  
That I'll love her till the day that I died_**

No, not the paid woman asleep in my bed. Not the plastic girls dancing in clubs, did I think about. No, for once I thought about someone else; I thought of her. The same shaven head, lanky, androgynous teen. I thought about her—Jack. I'm not even sure if she goes by that anymore. I wonder what she's calling herself these days. I wonder what she looks like...probably the same girl I met at the fateful crash...the girl everyone thought was a boy. But it's been some six years now, but in my mind she'll always be the same adoring and aspiring teen. Sometimes when I'm bored, I would think of a sarcastic remark that she would say. Like "Told you so" or "That's Fucking Right!"...stupid kid, she always knew how to make me laugh even though I didn't for the most part.

**_Do you love me? Do you love me?  
Do you love me? Like I love you?_**

She's probably running a muck on Helion Prime right now. Driving all the elders crazy, listening to her music extra loud, or some other form of teenage rebellion. At least she's got the old man to watch her close, and make sure she doesn't fuck up. But somehow, knowing that kid, she'll probably defy every order and every rule that Imam will try to set...yeah, she's some kind of mess. She's probably gonna try to commit all the seven sins before she's eighteen. Either that or she's gonna try to get herself arrested for god knows what. Yeah, she has high expectations like that. Yep, that's my girl, rebellious and cocky, with an attitudeas tough as nailsto boot. But like I said, I was sitting there having a nice smoke right after my "nice sleep". Then out of the blue I started to think about her. She made me pissed, elated, and everything in between.

**_She was given to me to put things right  
And I stacked all my accomplishments beside her  
Still I seemed so obsolete and small  
I found God and all His devils inside her_**

After getting through with the cigarette I glanced at the clock. It was only three in the morning, and I had a lot of time to kill. _Well, might as well not let the opportunity go to waste._ It was pitch black in the room and as I walked over to the bed, I saw her sleeping form. No, not Jack but the girl I had paid to keep me company that night. Watching her sleep I started reminiscing on all the times Jack had nightmares and she would sneak into my room. She would try to scoot herself into bed and cuddled up to me. And I had remembered all the times that I had pushed her away, saying how cowardly she was, and how I was trying to sleep. All of it was a lie, I wasn't trying to sleep, in fact her and I had shared the same problem. Even though I said it for the most part, I never truly thought she was cowardly, just softer. Heck, that's how kids are supposed to be, especially girls.

**_Do you love me? Do you love me?  
Do you love me? Like I love you?_**

Back then I would just brush the situation off and try to get to sleep, but now especially with all the free time on my hands, I found myself dwelling on the same situation. I thought about how I would talk to her when she was scared. I thought of how she reacted to everything I said. I thought about what I could have said differently, or what I could have done differently. I thought about the same sad look on her face every time I had pushed her away. But most of all I remembered the look in her eyes when I left her on that fateful night. I remembered everything; how she looked, how she spoke, even down to how she smelled. Because of her I was starting to regret ever leaving, but as Imam and I agreed, it was for the best.

**_All things move toward their end  
I knew before I met her that I would lose her  
I made every effort to be good to her  
I made every effort not to abuse her_**

Out of all the things I've done in my life, it seemed that this was the one that I regret the most. _Goddamn her...stupid kid._ She always had a way of making me soft on the inside. She always had a way of making me feel guilty, even if it wasn't my fault. I don't know what she saw in me, or why she ever looked at me the way she did. But she was something special, and I know she was going to be something special, with or without me. But even though I wanted to watch her metamorphosis, sadly, I knew that the option was not at all possible. For her sake, and as well as mine, there was never a possibility for us to be together. Out of all the fucked up shit I've done in my life, not being there for her was the one that weighed heavy on my heart...heck, she's the reason that why I still have some shred of humanity. She was the only one thatlingered in my memory, and I wonder if she feels the same. ----Ah, fuck it...she's better off anyways.

**_Do you love me? Do you love me?  
Do you love me? Like I love you?_**

END

* * *

...or is it? Dun-dun-dun! 

---Just a question...Should I continue with the song chapters, or just regular chapters? If you care at all then just review or email me. But I would like to continue song chapters, for some chapters. Okay? Thank you.

-KPOBb 3A KPOBb


	4. Smiles and Daggers

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the characters of Pitch Black or TCOR.

**Note:** Written in third person, with some of the characters thoughts in italic. ----No, this is not a TCOR fic, but I just wanted to use Toombs in this chapter.(Yes, I think the guy who plays Toombs is pretty good looking so, please bear with me.) Don't worry it'll all work out, it's all gravy. Any suggestions?, it's all good.

A woman stands under the yellow fluorescent street light. She's smoking a cigarette but quickly puts it out. She glances at her watch, 9:00. The man she's waiting for was supposed to be here already. She glances around, and sees an old man walking over to her. _Could this be the guy? _No, it's just some drunken hobo. She thinks about her previous thought and decides to be more sympathetic, considering she was in the same situation a few years back. He approaches closer, she reaches in her pocket for some change. He lunges and falls on her, but she catches him. Hanging on her frame, he tries to cop a feel.

"What's your name cutie?" the drunk hobo asks. She twists his arms, nearly breaking them, and he groans in pain. She violently pushes him to the ground.

"Fuck off. ---You'll be expecting a free ticket to the city morgue, if you don't watch those hands of yours." With a flash of her shiv, he runs off, with Jack Daniels in hand.

"Nah, sista. He's too busy watching you, to be watching himself." another man from behind says.

She turns to be met by a man about six feet, brown hair,grey eyes, a face full of stubble and some very gnarly side burns. In her opinion not half bad, looking, heck he's one of the few guys around here that would be worthy...

"And you are?"

"Nice name you got there. 'Fuck off',rolls of your tongue quite nicely."

"Well, aren't you just a silver tongued devil...."

She says with a voice drenched in sarcasm. She moves to walk past him. He stops her with a slight of the hand, grabbing her by the waist, and pulling her, so that she's facing him. _'Holy shit, what the fuck was that ?'_ Of course, ever the stoic one, for once she was surprised that she didn't get shiv happy on his ass for such a foolish move. Finally, she looks him straight in the eyes, and a shiv pressed to his ribs.

"Yeah, quick mouth, slow moves...bad combination." she presses the shiv deeper so that's its cutting his shirt.

"Oh, heard a lot about you."

"Wow, you actually stopped running your mouth long enough to listen."

"Well, heard a lot about your 'credentials'." He says smirking as he looks her up and down. Moving his head, and of course she notices, and she frowns at his blatant display of desire.

"Ehem! Getting a good view at my assets there?" He looks her square in the face.

"So, what are you PMSing or your date stood ya up?--maybe I could fill in for him? Huh?"

He chuckles, as he moves closer to her, decreasing the space between them. He's getting awfully close, not menacing just, close. Almost like he's flirting with her, something she's not fully accustomed to yet.

'_What?! Flirting?! Why are you letting him get to you?' _

'_Cuz, he reminds you of Riddick...'_

'_Fuck off...' _She snaps back into her current situation. He's very close to her, now, and he perks an eyebrow.

"Well? You waiting for someone or what?" he's trying desperately to get her attention.

'_My, my she sure is a dame. If only she'd show me those pretty eyes of hers......' _But she just looks the other way, trying her best to ignore his futile attempts.

'_Jeez, Toombs! Your supposed to be waiting for someone, not trying to pick someone **else** up...'_

'_You've got plenty of time, to get action. Get back to work!'_

He tries his best to dope out his own thoughts, his brow furrows, and he begins to choke. Noticing this, she giggles out of the corner of her mouth. Now, he's clearly irritated.

"So!, ya didn't answer my previous question. –You waiting for some one? Or not?"

"Yeah. I'm waiting for a guy." His face turns white, and is painted with disappointment. Seeing this, and remembering all his futile attempts to flirt, she sighs.

'_Jeez, look at the poor guy. He obviously likes you...cut him a break.'_

"So, who you waiting for?" he says with a hint of jealousy.

"A merc..."

"A merc?" he smiles, catching on to the fact.

"Yeah,...your name's Toombs right?"

"I thought you'd never ask." He's says boyishly, with a little chuckle.

"So what's your name?" he offers a hand, and she shakes it reluctantly.

"Jack."


	5. All This Anticipating

Disclaimer: I do not own Toombs or Jack.

Note: This chapter is from Toombs POV.

_  
What's in a name?..._

_Simple question right?..._

_What's in a name?—More specifically what's in her name?..._

I would toil with her name, and repeatedly whisper it, and secretly question myself.

...Jack. J-A-C-K...Jack? Who are you Jack?...

The first night, I heard that name. It was like she ripped my heart out and may me eat every piece. —every bleeding piece...and I like a fool, enjoyed it's carnage.

She gave me no middle, last or even a valid first name...just those four quaint letters. She looked at me, with that sadist smirk of hers. She would then look away, and leave to my own savage mind...letting me pick at my brain, and dismantle it so that I could search for myself. I would choke on my words, while I internally ravaged my mind for answers, as well as questions. The only one that came, was her name. She smiled at my defeat, and I had bathed in it's glow.

After we met we had talked for a while, mostly about when we could meet up again, and what agreements we would think about in the near future. After our little chat, I walked back to my dingy motel room, all the while thinking about _her_. I remember smelling lavender, leather, ...vodka...the type of things that can totally set a man's senses off...especially a man like me. Entering my apartment, I took off my shirt and walked to the shower. And whew, I smelt bad!...trying to block the stench, I turned on the shower and poured myself a shot.

The liquor now spilling over the glass, my nose began to pick up a very faint odor. _...lavender...leather..._A smirk began, to play across my face as I slowly turned around.

"Well, well. Look who decided to join me for a night cap..."


	6. Blade Bleeding For A Kiss

Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah...don't own any of the characters and stuff...

Note: Lots of you asked meif I waspairing up Jack and Toombs...so my reply is...you'll just have to wait and see. Hehehe, I love the torture...muahahahaha...

"Well, well. Look who decided to join me for a night cap..."

"Well, well. Look who decided to be the unreliable one!...Look at you! I told you we would meet up later!...did I not tell you!" she said firmly, as she played with her shiv.

"Hmmm...Yeah, key word there, bitch! —'Later'. Now, let me drink my drink, and take my shower!"

He retorted as he made my way to the bathroom. Just as he stepped, she had a pulled a gun on him, fully equipped with a silencer as not to alert the neighbors of his "sudden passing". Coming closer she pressed the silencer against to his brow. Pulling the hammer back, a bead of sweat dripped down his face. He could see the headlines now: _Merc Killed By Seductress_. Smelling his fear, she released the released, and stepped about an inch away.

"Toombs...oh, silly merc. Haven't you heard? Play is for later, and work always comes first."

She said playfully, almost sadisticly. She gave a smirk at his blank yet fearful reaction, and lowered the gun. He sighed in relief and began to give her a quick once over. She was dressed in jeans, a wife beater, and a black leather cloak enveloped her lithe form. _Gorgeous._

"Well, all work and no play makes Toombs a dull boy."

Suddenly he reached for her gun. Grabbing the gun, he twisted her around so that her back was against his chest, and he had a hold of her arms. But she got one free, and suddenly he felt a slight sting between one of his ribs.

"Dull, huh?"

She taunted, as she sunk the blade further in, and he winced at the pain. Layer by layer, the blade would fall, breaking his skin as drops of blood escaped. Seconds seemed like minutes and he could no longer take it. Releasing his grip, he violently pushed her away, and tried to touch the wound. Turns out, in his pain he pushed her so hard, that she hit table next to the bed and fell to the floor. Reaching for his wound, he found that the blade was still lodged in it. Pulling it out, he examined it. It was nothing more than a blade to a box cutter, but it was about an inch in.

Getting up she, wiped her bloody mouth and glared at him in disgust, and he gave her the same look. Licking the blood from the corner of her mouth, she gave an angry smile. Putting pressure on my almost fatal wound, he grabbed the blade and through it at her. She scoffed, and he just spat back at her. _Yep, she's the girl for me..._

"So, he DOES bleed...interesting."

"Look, girl. I'm not sure that this whole 'arrangement' is gonna work."

"Well, if you would just follow directions. -Oh, and by the way, that VIN you gave me so I could find your skiff: is a fucking fake. You mind telling me what game you playing? Or am gonna have to beat it outta your sorry ass?"

"As sexy as that idea sounds right now, I think I'll pass."

"Why? You tired already?...Thought mercs were supposed to be in shape, smart, and fight dirty. —But you?...You're none of that, although you do fight dirty—I mean, you just hit a woman! tsk, tsk. Guess one out of three ain't bad."

"Fuck off, bitch. Now, leave me alone so I can take a shower."

"Alone?" she purred.

"Hmmm...Now, you're just fucking with me..."

"If I was, you'd be a lot more tired than you are now..."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah...Like I said you could tell me now, or I could just beat it out of you..."

"You know what?"

"What?"

"I think I'll take you up on that offer..."


	7. Say What You Will

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters in Pitch Black...although Riddick would be nice. But I do own the Video Phone Voice, and the Welder dude.

Note: Sorry that I haven't updated in awhile, but I haven't any time...but still the story must go on. BTW, I'm introducing a new character.

* * *

The vid phone in the room rings. A screen pops up illuminating the dark room. Two silver orbs loom in the darkness.

"Shit..." He mutters coming closer to the screen. His shined eyes are met by the blinding glow of the vid screen. He reaches in the dark for his goggles and puts then on.

"Hey, Dick! Get that ass moving!...Don't got all day you know." The vid screen says in a gruff voice.

"Well! Are you ready or not, ...ya goddamn arse."

"Yeah, yeah. Fuck you too, man..."

"Well, don't offer if ya can't put out!"

"Jeez, what time is it?"

"It's time for work, Dicky...now put on your best dress and get ya arse down here."

Riddick looks to the clock, then to the girl still laying in his bed.

"Um...Can't we just talk it over the phone? I'm kinda tied up, not to mention I'm tired as...

"For christ sakes! Haven't ya learned anything? What did I say bout vid phones, huh? What did I say?"

"Agh...they're tapped...and blah, blah."

"You bet your ass their tapped. They're about as tapped as the chicky laying in your boudoir, right bout now."

"What the—? How did you–?..."

"Didn't think I'd know about the chicky, huh?...Well, trust me. I know a lot bout your excuses and such. 'I'm tired', 'I'm tied up', blah, blah, bullshit!"

"Eh, takes one to know to know one. Ain't that right? You of all people should be preaching about bullshit and such, considering the fact your expertise is bullshit. Tell me I'm wrong. Tell me you didn't spend fifteen in Ursa Luna for Fraud, Identity Theft, Identity Fraud, and such. Hmmm?"

"Well, well...check mate, Dicky. Check mate."

* * *

It's about noon, and Riddick is well on his way to see the infamous voice on the other end of the vid phone. What is he looking for? What will he find? Who knows...only he does. He walks down an empty alley way in an industrial workplace. There about a hundred feet ahead there's a door on the side of a warehouse. It has a small sign that says INDUSTRIAL BODYWORK: "We'll give you a whole new you...guaranteed."

_Yep, just like him to say the obvious. _

Riddick presses the button on the intercom next to the door.

"Hey..."

"What! Eh? I'm busy."

"Pizza Delivery."

"Bout time! Jeez..."

The sound of locks and a heavy dead bolt opening can be heard through the door. The door opens an inch and Riddick takes the liberty of letting himself in. The room is pitch black except for the sparks radiating from the center of the large warehouse. The sparks glow blue, fall to the ground and fade to yellow eventually dying out. The man welding the metal doesn't even notice the big shined convict that is in his quarters, and he just continues to weld.

"Leave it on the table, will ya?...Money's on the workbench o'er there."

Riddick moves closer to the welder, close enough to kill, but this time his intents are just to scare the bejesuz out of him.

"What, no tip?" The welder jumps, and almost drops his torch, lucky he had put it out by that time. Stunned he turns around, and looks at Riddick through a black welders mask.

"Christ! Haven't you ever heard of knocking?" Riddick just laughs as the welder gets up to his feet and dusts of his hands.

"Christ? Hmm...Not quite, actually far from it. Very far from it."

"Same ole wise cracken BS."

"Moi? What about you? What's with the whole 'INDUSTRIAL BODYWORK'?...Some cover you got there."

"Well, it's true. I mean I am after all I am a welder and the best one to boot."

"Well. Technically the whole bodywork thing ain't BS—embelishment maybe, but the truth none the less. But now you being thebest, now that's just BS._"_

"Alright, checkmate. But still don't forget who needs who here."

An awkward silence fills the large warehouse, and the tension is so thick you could cut it with a knife, or in this case, a welding torch.The two men look each other dead in the eye, or should I say goggles to welding mask. Riddick removeshis goggles and the welder removes his mask, and finally they're looking at each other face to face. The other man is a man not much older than Riddick, and not much taller than he, in fact there are about the same build, height, and age. The man has dark brown, almost black hair, and sports a stubbled face. His eyes are shined just like Riddicks, however his skin is not as tan, but paler like that of a European. His features are very defined, boyish but very mature. There's a small scar above his left brow about an inch in length, and Riddick remembers very well how he got that scar. The two men stare at each other, eye to eye and face to face, trying to take in how much the other has changed. Truth is, nothing really changed, of course they were a bit older, and colder. However, something obviously changed, why else were they not friends anymore?

"Wow, I can't believe it...I mean I can't believe how long it's been..." The guy begins to tear up.

"Oh god.." Riddick sighed, clearly getting irritated. _Of all the reactions, why this? _

This was the one emotion that Riddick was shit at. This was the one reason why he had to leave her the way he did, because he was shit at these types of situations, let alone these emotions. The other guy is nearly to tears at this point even sniffing a bit, as his face contorts.

_Of all the reactions! Jeez, I'd rather have him pissed as hell, then this fine mess!_

"I,...I can't believe it. I can't believe your as ugly as I remembered you'd being, even worse." The other guy's face goes completely straight, and no tears are flowing, in actuality he's laughing his arse off.

"Oh god. You're lucky, you know that? If this was gonna go on anymore, I think I'd have to kill you, then kill myself."

"Now, don't go killing yourself o'er little ole me!"

"Heh..." Riddick manages a mock laugh, although he's at all tickled by this situation.

"Don't flatter yourself."

"Come on, Dicky. You no you miss me, miss my face, my laugh, my a..."

Riddick just glares at him with a "Finish that sentence, and I'll finish you off" type of look. The welder just concedes, at this look and decides that he's treading on thin ice with boots made of razors. Once again, here comes the awkward silence, the two men just stand there not knowing what to do next, and the welder starts feeling the scar on his brow. Touching it, he remembers faintly how he got that scar. It was a night that would stick with them forever, just like a scar. They were both piss drunk, and all they need was some girl to come between them. It was dark, raining, he remembered seeing bloodnot Riddick's blood, but his own blood. Then everything went black and when he woke up, he saw Riddick looming over him with shiv in hand. He felt the cold sting off the blade against his neck, and then Riddick was gone. Not only had Riddick managed to save his life not once but twice, it was a favor that Riddick had chosen to bring up until now.

"So..."

"So...?"

"Are we gonna do this or not?" asks the welder.

"Of course. That is, unless you've gotten soft..."

"Soft?...Nah, Dicky you got me all wrong." He just shrugs it off, and tries to be Mr slick shit killer.

"Hmmm. I see." The welder just nodes in agreement, cuz he knows he was in jail, he was in war, he was married twice divorced, of course he was still hardcore! Soft! Soft his ass!

_Hmmm. Mostly toned-Firmed maybe. Definitely not soft. I happen to think I have a very nice ass._

"...I mean, next to me, you're one of the most hardcore guys I know...next to me of course..." Riddick says nonchalantly.

Once again the welder nodes in agreement, smirking all the while, as he thinks about his toned gluteus maximus, and how it was DEFINITELY. NOT. SOFT.

"...But isn't Sasha a _girl's_ name?..."


	8. A Choice, Not An Echo

Disclaimer:I do not own Riddick, but I do own Sasha...so no touchy.

They both walk across welding tools, torches, scrap metal to have a nice chit-chat at Sasha's newly imported com. Sasha sits in his swivel chair; Riddick remains standing, arms crossed, furrowed brow, stone cold as usual.

"Not in Russia it isn't." Sasha retorts.

"So I've heard…." Riddick says disinterested.

"So……." The silence lulls between the two distant friends; once like brothers joined by the same arteries, and now as if two strangers bound by land and gravity only.

"So, I've heard things…Things about…her." His voice got a bit softer as he mentioned the subject.

"I've heard some things too." Sasha says nonchalantly, and walks over to his com.

"Enlighten me."

"Good news or bad news first?" He asks sarcastically. Upon seeing the look on his face he decides not to push his luck this time.

"Anyway, good news: considering you left her, what, preteen? She's most likely of legal…..specifications" Riddick shoots him of look of both disgust and interest.

"Bad news: is that maybe the good news isn't even possible; she might not even be alive."

"Yeah, well kid's got persistance…..What can you find?"

"Well, um…"

"WHAT can you find?" He says a bit more demanding.

"If this kids got as much persistence as you says she does, then mostly likely she's been waiting for you? Yes?" He types a few key words on the com, results blink onto the bright screen. Her profile on the boarding list from the HG appears; her face only of small growth.

"She probably got tired of waiting, so she decided to speed things up a bit."

"She'd hire mercs; stupid kid. But…what can I say, she is persistent…. even after all this time. Just didn't thing she'd sink that low." Riddick says, his jaw clenching at the last statement. _You signed with mercs._

"Heh, sounds like a cute kid. But it leaves only one question; why would someone like you go through all this trouble to find one lonely little girl?" He turns away from his com to make eye, or shall I say, goggle contact with Riddick. Riddick grunts, as if trying to sever the present conversation.

"Maybe some other time…." Riddick says slyly, and opens the steel door.

"What's a matter? You're not turning soft on me, are you?" Riddick steps out the door.

"No, not at all Sasha…." He shuts the door, locking the warehouse into an eternal darkness, with only one source of light…..her. Her picture illuminates the screen.

Riddick walks through musky alleys, wet streets, all the while thinking about her.

Sasha's voice resonates in his mind; _Why would he go through all this trouble, just to find her?_

He walks along yellow tinged roads, past broken pavement, he whispers to himself.

"_Because she saved my life."_


	9. Hollow and Stolen So Fast

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character is PB nor TCOR.

Note: yes, I know odd little cliffhanger but I will add more...I promise. And I'm also thinking of putting a chap with lyrics again, so yeah. BTW, idk if any of you will notice but I added a little refference to Alice in Wonderland(and the song too)...yes I know I'm a dork.

It was now a little after midnight, and by a little meaning the sun had almost come up. Do the disdain of Toombs it was not an impassioned night of lust and vice, but a night of calculated preparation. Basically, his night was a simple cut of shower, drink, pack, drink, talk, and once again drink. And after a busy night of such planning they sat down to enjoy one last drink in honor of their beloved friend, Jack—Daniels that is. They both share the motel room table, a pack a cigarettes and a lovely night cap just as promised. Toombs sits shirtless on the opposite of Jack, and she like the killer queen she is pretends not to be the slightest impressed.

"So why exactly are you looking for the infamous and notorious bald bastard?" Toombs inquired taking a drag from his cigarette as he propped his feet upon the table.

"That's _my_ problem now isn't Mr. Toombs?...Besides you get paid to hunt–Not ask questions."

"Fair enough, Ice Queen. But for the courtesy of your future partner it would really thrill me if you would grace me with your lovely rendition of why you're after him." He asked sarcastically.

"...Put is to rest." She replied coldly as she takes a swig from the whiskey bottle, her favorite friend.

"Honestly, in my day I've had a lot of people come up to me and ask me to take that bastard down, and so far you're the only offer I've excepted, which is odd considering I don't even know the reason. Heck, you could be after him for 20 bucks...shit if I know." He says nonchalantly as he takes another swig and looks her straight in the eyes, and his so far his feelings about her are quite obvious.

"So why should I even make head way with this when I don't even know the reason? Why should I try for someone I barely know?...S'crazy if you ask me." Jack smirks at his attempts to extract the answer from beneath her stone cold exterior. She takes a swig from the bottle and tips it toward him, and gets a bit closer, but in Toombs' opinion not quite close enough.

"Because...You like me."

She teases as he chokes on a swig of Jack, and pretends not to be effected by her prediction. Yet she quickly makes light of the situation by getting up to prepare their supplies. He strides over towards her direction, creeping up behind her and satisfying his need to be close, however to his surprise she quickly turns around. In his mind he quickly formulates a witty remark and goes to touch her.

"Well, what's not to like?" as she gently grabs his arm resting on her shoulder and swiftly and just as violently twists his wrist till he falls to his knees. By the look on his face he is clearly in pain.

"ShhhIITTT!...Fucken IRON GRIP!" he yells.

She chuckles, "Yes, and don't you ever forget that."

She quickly releases his arm and he once again he is back on his feet. He looks disgustedly at his sore wrist and back at her. He sighs inwardly, _It was worth it yet can't image what would happen if I tried to kiss her_, he muses. She turns to look at him as if she knew his thoughts at the very moment.

"Hey, Alice get your mind outta wonderland and get your shit ready...we're over this hill." She picks up the packs and reaches for the doorknob of the motel door, but Toombs interrupts her easy escape.

"Honestly, why are you after him?...Because in all seriousness I can't trust a partner who doesn't divulge their motives." She pauses and finally looks him in the eye with all her possible sincerity and ferocity, and he can see it.

"Because...He took something from me...and I want it back. Dead or alive."

She exits the motel room, leaving him with his own thoughts racing wild in his mind.


End file.
